Mauricio Pochettino bolstered his attacking options last week by securing the signing of Clinton N’jie from Olympique Lyon. The 22-year-old – who cost the club £9.87 million and arrives on a five-year-deal – revealed he ignored some late interest from Arsenal to join up at White Hart Lane:
“I was never scared that my transfer to Tottenham would not be confirmed. I never spoke to Arsenal representatives on the phone, they simply contacted my agent. My choice was made, I was determined to join Tottenham. Here, I will be working under Mauricio Pochettino, a manager who plays youngsters and allows them to progress. On Thursday, after I arrived in London and had my medical tests, he welcomed me, with the president Daniel Levy, to tell me that he hoped I would be available as quickly as possible. When I arrived in Europe, it was an aim and a dream to play one day in the Premier League. I didn’t think it would come as quickly as it has. After that, Lyon wanted the transfer, Tottenham showed themselves to be insistent and it is the club who had the strongest interest.”
THE HISTORY
N’jie left his home country of Cameroon in 2011 in order to pursue his footballing career. He joined the prestigious Lyon youth-setup, which has produced prolific forwards such as Karim Benzema and Frederic Kanoute, but had to wait until late 2012 for his professional debut, which was a one-minute cameo against Stade Remis in November.
The-then 19-year-old went on to make a further three appearances that season, all from the bench, but failed to impress manager Remi Garde enough to cement a starting role. It was much the same story during the following campaign as the forward only picked up 32 minutes in the league.
The arrival of coach Hubert Fournier ahead in the summer of 2014 afforded N’jie the chance to claim a role in the Lyon first XI. Over the course of last season, he managed 30 appearances (15 starts and 15 off the bench) and served up seven goals and as many assists, with the Cameroon international’s goals alone securing nine points for his side as they finished runners-up to PSG in Ligue 1.
N’jie has enjoyed a rapid rise to international stardom. The youngster featured in the Lions’ unbeaten African Cup of Nations campaign, opening his account for the national side on his debut against the Democratic Republic of Congo and bagging a brace against the Ivory Coast. The 22-year-old has now notched six times with only 11 caps to his name.
THE PROSPECTS
Whilst it seems unlikely that N’jie will steal the headlines away from the prolific Harry Kane, his addition could prove an intriguing one for Fantasy managers. Thanks to his lightning pace and dribbling ability, which will cause any Premier League defence problems, he is versatile enough to play on the flank as well as through the middle. That being said, standing five foot nine inches tall, a distinct lack of aerial threat – which saw him win just 12 headers in Ligue 1 last term – suggests he won’t be competing for the lone striker role in Mauricio Pochettino’s default 4-2-3-1 set-up.
So far, the Spurs boss has fielded Moussa Dembele on the right wing, with Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli taking up the other two attacking midfield roles and N’jie will be looking to oust the Belgian from the starting XI. Although his frequency of key passes (63.4 minutes) wasn’t too impressive last year, an average of 31.7 minutes per shot (quicker than both Eriksen and Chadli, with 33.8 and 46.5 respectively in 2014/15) highlight his eye for goal and suggests his addition should boost Tottenham’s attacking potential. Nonetheless, should Pochettino choose to ease the new boy into contention, he also has the likes of Dembele, Erik Lamela, Andros Townsend and even DeAndre Yedlin offering an alternative.
If Pochettino fields him in a wider position, N’jie will terrorise defenders and drive Spurs forward – he attempted over 100 dribbles last season – though it may be that he’s initially utilised as an impact sub until he becomes accustomed to his new surrounds.
In spite of his trickery on the flank, it’s worth noting that 80% of Njie’s chances created last season were produced down the middle. He also became renowned for surging into the box to connect with crosses, which could see him tuck in behind Kane, looking for knockdowns and running into space in front of the centre-forward. Such a scenario could see Eriksen shift onto the flank to accommodate the Cameroon international, though with Pochettino keen to acquire West Brom’s Saido Berahino, it remains to be seen where N’jie fits in the first-team picture.
Certainly, with Leicester, Everton. Sunderland and Palace in the next four Gameweeks, the immediate schedule looks promising for the north London club. Priced at 7.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Njie’s classification as a forward is likely to prove detrimental to his prospects, with the likes of Bafetimbi Gomis and Mame Biram Diouf offering cheaper, in-form alternatives for our three-man frontlines. With weekend goalscorer Chadli coming at just 7.0, N’jie faces a tough task to establish himself as a viable route into Tottenham’s attack – for now, it’s best to afford him the time to settle until we ascertain Pochettino’s plans for his latest recruit.
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